Packing unit for strip-like product

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a packing unit to store and tear or cut strip-like products, mainly wrap film on roll, said unit comprising an openable or dismountable housing provided with closing elements bearing the roll, an opening for pulling out the product and means for helping to cut or tear the product. According to the invention, the housing ( 1 ) is a cylindrical body provided with a slot ( 2 ) and the ends of the cylindrical body are closed by said closing elements ( 3 ) bearing the roll ( 4 ). Preferably, there is an adherent area ( 11 ) on the surface of the housing ( 1 ) for helping to cut or tear the product ( 6 ) on the surface of the cylindrical body at least in a section beside the slot ( 2 ). The closing elements ( 3 ) bearing the roll ( 4 ) may be discs or polygonal plates provided with annular groove ( 9 ) for receiving the ends of the cylindrical body ( 1 ) and with a pipe stub ( 8 ) fitting inside the roll ( 4 ).

Object of the present invention is a packing unit to store and tear or cut strip-like products, mainly wrap film on roll, said unit comprising an openable or dismountable housing provided with closing elements bearing the roll, an opening for pulling out the product and means for helping to cut or tear the product.

It is known that many kind of strip-like packing materials are applied in the industry and the commerce, mainly on rolls, but similar materials are sold for domestic or hygienic use as well.

These products should be cut off for use, in almost every case. In industrial level, there are appropriate machines and devices for reeling and cutting off the strips. In the case of manual wrapping, the situation is different.

In several cases, e.g. with cloth mops, proper tearing off is simple and already solved. There are, however many new or special types of strip-like products which are practical and advantageous in view of wrapping, however, easy tearing off and handling of these products during use is not satisfactory. Therefor, some of these products, though being of excellent qualities, could not get round up to now, as consumers prefer simple, ready to use matters.

In view of the packing methods, aluminium is the most frequently used metal packing material in the households and in the HORECA line, both with respect to the amount and to the value, due to the relatively early appearance and easy handling. Further advantages are the heat resistance and the very low radiation-, gas- and liquid-permeability.

As to the plastic materials, PVC and PE are used in the households and in the HORECA line, in strip-like form. Plastic films are typically flexible and have good adhering capacity and, therefor, may be used for preparing air-tight wraps of optimum size, without any appliance. Due to their flexibility and adhering property, they can easily be used together with any plastic, glass or metal containers. PVC is mainly made of ethylene and chlorine gases, but many auxiliaries are needed to produce proper flexibility and adherence. These auxiliaries are, however, released from the film by foodstuffs. Further problem may be the free chlorine content as well, which can simply convert to chlorohydric acid. In some cases, this can offer anti-deteriorant effect. Recycling of PVC is not possible, burning is impairing the environment, due to the resultant chlorohydric acid and the toxic exhaust products.

PE films are also made of ethylene gas, but in this case no auxiliaries are needed for obtaining the required flexibility, which can be achieved exclusively by controlling the polymerization process. Adherence and other advantageous properties can be achieved by consumable additives obtained from vegetables. Recycling of PE films is not possible, as it has large surface covered by dirt, but burning is possible (if the dirt is burnable), as it contains only carbon and hydrogen. As to the costs, it is optimal solution.

There are several antagonisms between producers and consumers in respect of the use of PE films. Producers prefer films having no adherence and flexibility, as the production is cost-effective, coiling and packaging is easy and quick and access for the consumers is also simple as they can use the films in the known packing units. Further, tearing or cutting of non flexible and non adherent films is easy. However, such type of films can not follow the form of the product to be wrapped and can not adhere to the product or to itself.

Nowadays, methods are already known for producing flexible films having extremely good elasticity and tearing strength as well as adherence, in any form and size required by the consumers.

The known wrap films are sold on roll, and some of them are offered in boxes for storing. These boxes are generally openable or dismountable housings, and upon opening the housing, the film can be pulled out. Generally, means are provided for helping to cut or tear the product, which means may comprise toothed blades (made preferably of tinned steel strip) arranged on the housing or made of the material of the housing. JP 2008196993 discloses such type of boxes for storing and feeding wrap films.

However, the known products on that field have considerable drawbacks limiting easy use of that products.

One of the main problems is that the end part of the film is firmly adhering to the roll after tearing away some length of the film, and at the next time it is extremely awkward to find and release the end part in order to tear away the next length of film. This happens even if the roll is in a housing, as the housing generally can not prevent adhering of the end part to the roll.

Using a roll, there is a further difficulty, namely the needed length of the film can not be reeled off easily, as the roll is held in hand and the stronger the end is pulled, the stronger the roll is gripped. The same happens if the roll is in a soft paper box. If the housing is of a rigid material, there is a friction between the wall of the housing and the roll not provided with bearing, and the friction blocks the roll.

A further problem is that the closing elements are loose fitted in the housing, and in this way the whole structure is unstable, which makes the use clumsy.

Accordingly, obtaining a certain length of film is not easy with the state of art, irrespective of the fact whether it is torn or cut away.

Therefor, object of the present invention is to provide means which eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art, is of stable construction and can be optimally used for storing, feeding and cutting or tearing wrap films.

The packing unit according to the invention comprises an openable or dismountable housing provided with closing elements bearing the roll, an opening for pulling out the product and means for helping to cut or tear the product, wherein the housing is a cylindrical body provided with a slot and the ends of the cylindrical body are closed by said closing elements bearing the roll.

The packing unit is preferably provided with an adherent area for helping to cut or tear the product on the surface of the cylindrical body at least in a section beside the slot.

The adherent area may be a glossy surface, preferably that of the cylindrical body made of cardboard laminated with plastic adhering to the film product, or may be a surface covered with an adhesive providing a releasable bonding of the material of the product, or may be a friction surface, preferably rubber.

Preferably, there is a tearing/cutting device at the slot of the housing. If the cylindrical body is made of metal, the tearing/cutting device is made of the same metal as part of the body.

According to a preferred embodiment, the tearing/cutting device comprises a guide rail and a slide provided with cutting blade and movable along said guide rail.

According to another preferred embodiment, the tearing/cutting device comprises a rail and a tearing blade fixed in the rail, overhanging the rail and preferably being shaped as a toothed blade or strip.

The width of the slot of the housing is preferably 1-3 mm. According to a preferred embodiment, there is a protector strip covering one of the edges of the slot of the housing. The tearing/cutting device max be provided with an extension following the surface of the cylindrical body and held by said protector strip. The guide rail may be made of the material of and within the cylindrical body and the roll is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical body.

The guide rail may be arranged parallel with the line connecting the corresponding corners of the polygonal closing elements, and at least one outer surface of the guide rail is an adhering surface.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the tearing/cutting device comprises two toothed blades arranged at the ends of the housing.

The closing elements bearing the roll are discs or plates of polygonal shape provided with an annular groove for receiving the ends of the roll and with a pipe stub fitting inside the roll, wherein the plates of polygonal shape are quadratic, hexagonal or octagonal plates. The closing elements are preferably releasable elements.

The packing unit according to the invention eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art, and in this way, any film (plastic or aluminium) can be sold in boxes, which are of simple construction, may be produced easily with low cost and enable to tear or cut the film without any difficulty.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained with reference to non limiting examples and to the attached drawing, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the packing unit according to the invention, partially in section,

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the packing unit according to FIG. 1, with a part of the film pulled out and without closing element,

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of the packing unit according to FIG. 1, before cutting the film pulled out as shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of the packing unit according to the invention,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of the packing unit according to the invention, and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a cutting element.

With reference to the drawing, FIG. 1. is showing a packing unit according to the invention comprising a cylindrical body 1 for housing a spindle 4 with a film roll 5 (household consumer plastic film in this embodiment). The cylindrical body 1 is provided with a longitudinal slot 2 and with closing elements 3 at the ends 5 thereof. The film 6 released from the roll 5 can be pulled out of the housing 1 through the slot 2. Easy rotation of the spindle 4 is provided with its bearing on said closing elements 3, each having a pipe stub 8 fitting inside the spindle 4. The pipe stubs 8 are intruding to the inside of the cylindrical body 1, and are coaxial with central openings 7 of the closing elements 3. Loose-fitting of the pipe stubs 8 in the spindle 4 facilitates easy running of the film roll 5 within the cylindrical body 1. The closing elements 3 are further provided with annular grooves 9 for housing the ends of the cylindrical body 1. Tight-fitting between the cylindrical body 1 and the closing elements 3 results in a rigid and easy care structure consisting of the housing, closing elements and the film roll.

Though the closing elements 3 are discs in FIGS. 1 to 3, preferred embodiments may be plates of polygonal (preferably octagonal) shape, as in this way the cylindrical body can not roll on plane surfaces and, at the same time, a plurality of packing units can be arranged in boxes for shipment with optimum economy in space.

On the outer surface of the cylindrical body, at least in a section beside the slot 2 there is an adherent or friction area 10 for helping to cut or tear a selected length of the film 6. Such an adherent or friction area provides sufficient braking force for removing the unrolled length of the film 6. If there are perforations 11 at certain distances in the film 6, the film portion behind the perforation can be torn off against the braking force without any difficulty. If no perforations are in the film 6, the adherent area 10 firmly holds the film 6 for cutting the required length thereof, using a cutter or tearing it by hand.

The adherent area can extend to the whole surface of the cylindrical body, if needed. It can be a simple glossy surface, if the film is a plastic (PE) film, e.g. the surface of a laminated cartoon being the material of the housing. This embodiment is practical for a single use household product consisting both of the cylindrical body and the film roll. The material of the housing can be metal, preferably stainless steel as well. It can then be used permanently for housing refill film rolls.

In case of aluminium film rolls, the adherent area 10 may be made of materials frictionally engaging aluminium, e.g. rubber. In other cases, the adherent area 10 may be made of an adhesive layer, which can hold and release the film repeatedly.

If the housing is disposable type, the cutter may be a well known toothed metal (generally tinned steel) strip 12. If the housing is made of metal, for permanent use, the cutter may be a toothed part protruding from the cylindrical metal body. The toothed part or strip may be arranged along the whole length of the cylindrical body, or may be made of two parts arranged at the ends of the housing, leaving space for gripping the film. The toothed parts may have a constant height or the height may be reduced from the ends of the cylindrical body to the middle thereof. Further, the toothed part or parts may be arranged parallel with the axis of the cylindrical body or may be an acute angle between them.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the packing unit according to FIG. 1, with a part of the film 6 pulled out from the housing, in direction of arrow A. Closing element 3 holding the spindle 4 is not shown in this Figure. The film is pulled until a desired length of film has been removed or until the next perforation 11 appears. Then, the housing should be turned in direction of arrow B, until the position in FIG. 3 is reached and the film is adhering to the adherent area 10 (which may be the surface of the cylindrical body 1, if the whole surface is adhering surface). In this position, the required length of the film can be torn off easily. Alternatively, the plane of the pulled out film can be changed, instead of turning the housing. After removal of the torn off film part, the free end of the film on the roll remains attached to the adherent area 10 and can be gripped easily the next time, when wrap film is needed, unlike in the case of the known film rolls, wherein the free end of the film will stick to the roll immediately, and the time the user should try to find and release the end of the film with her/his nails, effectless for long minutes.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention, wherein there is a protector strip 13 covering one of the edges of the slot 2 of the housing 1. The protector strip is preferably an extruded plastic element, which can be clipped on one edge of the slot of the housing and prevents that the film, especially aluminium, is damaged by the edge of the slot. Further to that, the protector strip may provide adhering surface for the film when it is removed from the roll. The embodiment in FIG. 4. is provided with a cutter 12 comprising an extruded plastic rail 14 and a slide 15 provided with a blade 16. The surface of the rail 14 may provide adhering surface for the film.

The plastic rail may be glued to the surface of the housing, but the rail shown in FIG. 4 is provided with an extension 17 following the surface of the cylindrical body 1 and held by said protector strip 13.

In order to remove a selected length of the film, it should be pulled out of the housing and seated on the surface of the rail of the cutter and moving the slide along the rail. The free end of the film on the roll remains attached to the surfaces of the rail and the protecting strip and can be gripped easily the next time, when wrap film is needed. The end of the cut off piece remains on the surface of the rail and can be removed easily, without wrinkles.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the plastic rail 14 of the cutter 12 is not arranged outside the housing as in FIG. 4, but it is made as one piece element together with the cylindrical body 1 wherein the lower part of the rail 14 intrudes inside of the cylindrical body 1 and the upper surface of the rail is coaxial and coincident with the outer surface of the body. Slide 15 is still running outside the outer surface of the cylindrical body 1, and therefor it is here (but in other cases too) advantageous to arrange the cutter 12 between corners of the closing elements 3, which means that the cutter 12 is parallel with a line connecting two opposite corners of the closing elements. This arrangement facilitates easy use and shipping of the packing unit.

The film roll 5 is supported by the closing elements 3 according to this embodiment eccentrically with respect to the cylindrical body 1, in order to allow space for the rail 14 of the cutter 12 inside the housing.

An advantageous embodiment of the cutter 12 of the packing unit according to the invention is as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, any other cutter may be applied, including the known ones.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the cutter 12 may be provided with a toothed strip 16 embedded in rail 14, instead of a slide and blade. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, wherein the rail 14 is the same as that in FIGS. 3 and 4 but it is filled with a material holding the toothed strip 16.

The toothed strip may be arranged any other way, e.g. can be fixed on the cylindrical body. The cutter may also be composed of two strips arranged at the ends of the housing, leaving space for gripping the film therebetween. The strips may have a constant height or the height may be reduced from the ends of the cylindrical body to the middle thereof. Further, the toothed part or parts may be arranged parallel with the axis of the cylindrical body or may be an acute angle between them.

The packing unit according to the invention offers many advantages with respect to the state of art:

The packing unit composed of the cylindrical body and the closing elements is a light, rigid and easy to use structure, and facilitates easy removal of the film part to be used.

The film end can easily be removed from the housing, as it is kept loosely by the adhering surface instead of the roll, and thus, the user can grip the end without any difficulty.

At the same time, the adhering surface provides a friction enough for enabling to tear off the film along a perforation or cut a desired length thereof with a cutter.

As the removal of the film can be performed easily, the film itself can be stronger and more flexible as usual.

The roll can be rotated smoothly, as it is not kept by hand and does not friction on the wall of the housing either, as it is held by the bearing and closing elements.

The housing can be held comfortably, as it is cylindrical and smaller as the prior packing units.

The packing unit according to the invention may be a single use household product made for instance of laminated cartoon, or may be produced for multiple use. In this case, the material of the cylindrical body is preferably plastic or metal, preferably stainless steel, and the toothed strip is also made from the material of the body.

There may be two different adhering surfaces arranged on the housing, which enables to use it both for plastic and metal films.

The smooth surface of the housing may also be used for advertising, showing for instance the logo of the producer or the distributor.

The packing unit may have an appealing appearance, even if it is for single use.

The polygonal closing elements are not only esthetic, but facilitate easy packing, storing and domestic use of the packing unit, as the plane surfaces of the perimeter ensure a stable support on plane surfaces in household use and close packing when boxing.

The packing unit according to the invention is simple in arrangement and economical and cost effective to manufacture.

Though the examples in the above relate to dispensing resilient household plastic and metal films, it can obviously used for any dispensing any other strip like products, for instance baking papers or non resilient and non adhering plastic strips as well. 

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A packing unit to store and tear or cut strip-like product, mainly film on roll, said unit comprising an openable or dismountable housing provided with closing elements bearing the roll, an opening for pulling out the product and a part for helping to cut or tear the product, the housing being a cylindrical body (1) provided with a slot (2) and the ends of the cylindrical body (1) are closed by said closing elements (3) bearing the roll (4), wherein the slot (2) is arranged at the whole length of the cylindrical body (1), the closing elements (3) bearing the roll (4) are releasable discs provided with an annular groove (9) for receiving the ends of the cylindrical body (1) and with a pipe stub (8) fitting inside the roll (4).
 22. The packing unit of claim 21, wherein there is an adherent area (11) for helping to cut or tear the product (6) on the surface of the cylindrical body at least in a section beside the slot (2).
 23. The packing unit of claim 22, wherein the adherent area (11) is a glossy surface, preferably that of the cylindrical body made of cardboard laminated with plastic adhering to the film product.
 24. The packing unit of claim 22, wherein the adherent area (11) is a surface covered with an adhesive providing a releasable bonding of the material of the product.
 25. The packing unit of claim 22, wherein the adherent area (11) is a friction surface, preferably rubber.
 26. The packing unit of claim 22, wherein there are perforations in the strip-like product.
 27. The packing unit of claim 21, wherein the closing elements (3) bearing the roll (4) are plates of polygonal, preferably quadratic, hexagonal or octagonal shape.
 28. The packing unit of claim 21, wherein there is a tearing/cutting device (12) at the slot (2) of the housing.
 29. The packing unit of claim 28, wherein the cylindrical body is made of a metal and the tearing/cutting device (12) is made of the same metal as part of the body.
 30. The packing unit of claim 28, wherein the tearing/cutting device (12) comprises a guide rail and a slide provided with cutting blade and movable along said guide rail.
 31. The packing unit of claim 28, wherein there is a protector strip covering one of the edges of the slot of the housing.
 32. The packing unit of claim 31, wherein the tearing/cutting device (12) is provided with an extension following the surface of the cylindrical body and held by said protector strip.
 33. The packing unit of claim 30, wherein the guide rail is made of the material of and within the cylindrical body and the roll is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical body.
 34. The packing unit of claim 30, wherein at least one outer surface of the guide rail is an adhering surface.
 35. The packing unit of claim 31, wherein at least one outer surface of the guide rail is an adhering surface.
 36. The packing unit of claim 32, wherein at least one outer surface of the guide rail is an adhering surface.
 37. The packing unit of claim 33, wherein at least one outer surface of the guide rail is an adhering surface.
 38. A packing unit to store and tear or cut strip-like product, mainly film on roll, said unit comprising an openable or dismountable housing provided with closing elements bearing the roll, an opening for pulling out the product and means for helping to cut or tear the product, the housing being a cylindrical body (1) provided with a slot (2) and the ends of the cylindrical body (1) are closed by said closing elements (3) bearing the roll (4), wherein the slot (2) is arranged at the whole length of the cylindrical body (1), the closing elements (3) bearing the roll (4) are releasable discs provided with an annular groove (9) for receiving the ends of the cylindrical body (1) and with a pipe stub (8) fitting inside the roll (4). 